Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

I thought about adding Pace and Holt to the list but i think they will be around another season. Some will be gone cause they are FA's. Only Klop and Terrell have trade ability, IMO. Because they are young unknowns. Players like Bruce, Little, Glover, Chavous and Wilkins will have to be cut cause no team will want to take on their salaries. Just my 2 cents worth...

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

I haven't done the math, but wouldn't that be quite a hit to the cap?

"Before the gates of excellence the high gods have placed sweat; long is the road thereto and rough and steep at first; but when the heights are reached, then there is ease, though grievously hard in the winning." --- Hesiod

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

My thoughts on the names mentioned...

Leonard Little
I'd be shocked if we got a 5th round pick for him. Think of his situation without his name attached - how much would you trade for a 33-year-old injured pass rush specialist who has one sack thus far on the season? Answer, not a whole lot.

Joe Klopfenstein
Loved him as a prospect, but he's been hurt with the acquisition of McMichael and just hasn't progressed much. Maybe the problem is with our tight ends coach? I dunno, I'm not ready to give up on him just yet.

La'Roi Glover
I don't see anyone trading for him. Let's not forget it wasn't that long ago he was a free agent and anyone could have had him. Now he's aged and hasn't shown himself to be more effective. Teams will be content to wait until he's cut.

Corey Chavous
Again, was a free agent and we seemed to be the only team interested. Since then he's not done much to raise his value. The bottom line is you don't see very many players of 30+ being moved around. I don't think Chavous gets a sniff as trade bait.

Orlando Pace
If Barron would have wowed me as a left tackle, I'd consider this. But thus far, the results have not seemed to be that good. Furthermore, I think there are legitimate questions about whether there will be a top true left tackle prospect available where we pick. For now I'm holding onto Pace and hoping he's run out of arms to injure in 2008.

Torry Holt
Insane, IMO. He's playing injured, and despite that, he's on pace for 1065 yards and seven touchdowns if he maintains his performance thus far. Like many of our players he's not playing up to his talent, I'm sure partially because of injury. But you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Any FYI, there's absolutely no way Detroit would have traded the #2 overall pick straight up for Holt. Not at all.

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

Orlando Pace
If Barron would have wowed me as a left tackle, I'd consider this. But thus far, the results have not seemed to be that good. Furthermore, I think there are legitimate questions about whether there will be a top true left tackle prospect available where we pick. For now I'm holding onto Pace and hoping he's run out of arms to injure in 2008.

Torry Holt
Insane, IMO. He's playing injured, and despite that, he's on pace for 1065 yards and seven touchdowns if he maintains his performance thus far. Like many of our players he's not playing up to his talent, I'm sure partially because of injury. But you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Any FYI, there's absolutely no way Detroit would have traded the #2 overall pick straight up for Holt. Not at all.

Like I said, Orlando Pace's best days are behind him even when he's healthy for 2 or 3 games in a row. If I could get a number 1 for him he'd be gone in a heartbeat.

As for Torry Holt, my proposed trading of him last year, obviously would've had nothing to do with his performance this year. So his production this year or lack thereof is moot. I will contend however that over the next 3 years his production will be a far cry from that of Calvin Johnson, barring injury of course.

Secondly, I don't recall saying a deal to Detroit had to be a straight up deal. Just one that netted us what I think will be the best reciever in the game in the next few years.

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

I thought about adding Pace and Holt to the list but i think they will be around another season. Some will be gone cause they are FA's. Only Klop and Terrell have trade ability, IMO. Because they are young unknowns. Players like Bruce, Little, Glover, Chavous and Wilkins will have to be cut cause no team will want to take on their salaries. Just my 2 cents worth...

I'm glad you are not calling the shots. We're be buried under the salary cap for years after making these moves ...

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

Things do look bleak right now, but I do not want to re-build the whole team. Starting next year without Holt, Bruce, and Pace while breaking in a new HC is not appealing. Yes there will be new faces on the field next year, but cutting a horde of palyers is crazy. GoRams!

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

Originally Posted by jkramsfan

Nick, after reading what you just wrote,say we win2-3 games this year, where do you go to get better,draft,FA,trades and if trades who do you see us parting with ? thanks

Well I think obviously we're going to have to draft well. Teams with 2-3 wins typically aren't going to make huge splashes in the free agent market because players want to play for winners... unless the team is willing to offer mega bucks, and I'm not sure we will be. I'm not sure I envision a lot of trades with this team. A lot of that is going to depend on who is available and what the asking price is, which we likely won't know until spring. But I think a good draft is essential to making this team better.

Originally Posted by Fortuninerhater

Like I said, Orlando Pace's best days are behind him even when he's healthy for 2 or 3 games in a row. If I could get a number 1 for him he'd be gone in a heartbeat.

Except you're not getting a first round pick for a soon-to-be 32 year old tackle who has missed significant time the last two seasons with injury, so unless you're willing to lower your standards, he stays anyways.

Originally Posted by Fortuninerhater

As for Torry Holt, my proposed trading of him last year, obviously would've had nothing to do with his performance this year. So his production this year or lack thereof is moot.

I brought up his production and injury status for this year as a reason to keep him - he's injured and playing in an anemic offense yet will still put up quality numbers if he stays consistent with what he's done so far.

Originally Posted by Fortuninerhater

Secondly, I don't recall saying a deal to Detroit had to be a straight up deal.

When you say, "I also would've traded Torry Holt for Detroit's pick last year if I were in charge," it would seem to me that you're talking about a straight up deal, especially since you mentioned no other terms.

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

I think Pace is in about the same boat as Little: both injured, both aging, and neither replaceable with the talent we have on the current roster.

I'd actually be surprised to see Chillar gone. The team seems to be pretty high on him, and he probably won't be on other teams' radar so much.

I think Wilkins and Looker are both nearing the end of their tenure with the Rams. At 35, Wilkins is old enough that we ought to start thinking about the future without him but not so old that he is incapable of performing. I'm guessing next season may be an open competition for the kicker spot.

I think Bruce will leave whenever he wants to leave. Of course, he might not want to stick around for another season like this, but even at 35 he's a better receiver than many #2's in the league.

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

The problem is that we value guys like Bruce, Holt, Little, and Pace much higher than other teams just because they have been Rams. Of those guys, I can only see Holt and Pace getting any kind of trade value, and only maybe a 3rd and a 5th respectively.

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

I actually don't have a problem with letting sentiment play into it. Sports are designed for entertainment, and personally I like rooting for guys that have been with the team. There comes a time when you have to say good-bye, but by the time a guy is 33 years old or more, you might as well let him end his career here because he's not going to be playing that much longer (with some exceptions).

Re: Four Players Who Should Be On The Trading Block

One of the main issues we have when talking about trades is that we sometimes value our own players way higher than we should through sentiment, and a little bit of 'fantasy' GM'ing.

Quite simply, no player on the Rams roster has enhanced his value this season and that's unlikely to change. Outiside of a slew of lower-order draft picks, which won't have the desired impact in terms of turning the team around, we won't get much for what we have.

So, I'm with Nick on this one. We have to retain what little value we have (Pace,Holt), evaluate the value inherent in some of our younger players (Klopf, Chillar) and take a serious unsentimental look at those guys who are nearing the end of their careers (Chavous,Glover and yes maybe Bruce and little).

The draft is likely to be the route of salvation, unless we can attract a big-name HC with the pull to drag some marquee players in. And that would suppose that said marquee players are available.